Years at Clemson: 1 (started Jan. 5, 2015)
What I do at Clemson: I write about agriculture, forestry and life sciences for PSA’s communications department. My stories are published on Clemson’s website and Impacts magazine. In addition, several magazine-length pieces have and/or will soon be published in Glimpse and Clemson World magazines. My media releases are sent to a variety of print, broadcast and online outlets, where they have appeared locally, statewide, nationally and globally. I also take photographs and shoot/produce videos, as well as communicate directly with members of the media to spread the word about PSA and CAFLS.
What I love about Clemson: Until joining Clemson, I was a lifelong journalist who had worked at large newspapers such as the St. Petersburg Times and Charlotte Observer. At Clemson, I still work very hard, but the pace is more sensible and the subject matter, for the most part, is far more interesting. Since Day 1, I have been amazed by the caliber of people I have had the privilege of interviewing – from renowned scientists to dedicated professors to Extension agents who work around the clock. And I get to travel to interesting and sometimes exotic places, such as Sapelo Island, Ga. This is literally the first job I’ve ever had where I wake up in the morning excited to go to work. Plus, I have only about a five-minute commute from my home to my office on campus, which is beyond awesome.
Accomplishment I’m most proud of: Besides anything family related, of course, 
I am most proud of being a traditionally published novelist. My six-book epic fantasy series titled The Death Wizard Chronicles is 750,000 words of magic, monsters, swords and sorcery. Disclaimer: The series contains adult content, much like the popular George R.R. Martin series Game of Thrones. This is not Harry Potter.
Where I see myself in five years: I see myself still working at Clemson, where I plan to stay until I retire, assuming Clemson will have me.
Last thing I watched on TV: Other than sports, politics and news, I watch very little TV. But while ironing my shirts the other night, I did indulge myself and watch an episode of “The Walking Dead.”
Guilty pleasure: I love to sit with my wife on the back deck of my house, sipping Pinot Grigio and staring at the stars. Our backyard is comprised of a half-acre of woods that leads to a gurgling creek – so to me it’s one of the most beautiful places on Earth. And did I mention that it’s only a five-minute drive from my office?
One thing most people don’t know about me: I have five daughters. My two oldest are biological daughters from my first marriage. My three youngest were adopted from Cambodia. My second wife and I own and oversee a village school deep in the jungles of Cambodia that has helped to educate several hundred children who otherwise would have received little or no formal instruction. We also built a reservoir for the village so that its people could have a dependable supply of drinking water. Disclaimer No. 2: My wife, Jeanne Malmgren (who also works at Clemson as a psychological counselor in CAPS), deserves 99 percent of the credit for everything we’ve done in Cambodia. She was the driver, while I rested comfortably in the back seat. Nonetheless, I’m still proud that a group of barefoot children on the other side of the world – literally and figuratively – are being given an opportunity to better their lot in life.
Want to be featured in Meet a Tiger? Contact Jackie Todd at jtodd3@clemson.edu.
